Rival Unraveled
by Midnight Rose Princess
Summary: Ryuhou and OC Selina go to find Kazuma for Kanami. They do, and as Kazuma's past is played before Ryuhou's eyes, will his feelings for Kazuma turn into something else?
1. Found in Sober Conditions

**Title:** Rival Unraveled

**Author:** Midnight Rose Princess

**Rating:** M (for Kazuma's language, and violence in later chapters)

**Summary:** Ryuhou and (OC)Selina go to find Kazuma for Kanami. They do, and as Kazuma's past is played before Ryuhou's eyes, will his feelings for Kazuma turn into something else?

**Midnight's Note:** I put in some of the flashbacks from the show and some I wrote myself to explain what I think might be Kazuma's past. Lastly, the last episode's epilogue was 2 years after Kazuma and Ryuhou's fight in episode 26, and this fic takes place 2 years after that, so it's like the beginning of the third year since the fight. To put it simply for those who are confused by the math, this story starts at the beginning of the 5th year since Kazuma and Ryuhou's big fight. So here's everyone's current ages: Kazuma(20), Ryuhou(21), Kanami(12), Mimori(22), Tachibana(20), and my OC Selina(15). I never found out how old Urizane and Elian were, so imagine their ages. Also, I made up the part about Kazuma's parents. That's my poetic licensing and imagination at work.

**Disclaimer:** Are you trying to make me cry? I do not own Scryed. However, if I did, that would also mean I owned Kazuma, too, and I would keep him all to myself. And if you're a female Kazuma-fan I bet you're the same, so don't take that the wrong way. But sadly, I don't own him or the show or manga. T-T

**Warning: **Mimori fans, I'm not gonna bash Mimori in this, but she is NOT ending up with Ryuhou! Don't like it? Then don't read. reason why: I like Mimori with Cougar, not Ryuhou! Ryuhou is with KAZUMA! Yaoi! I do love KanamixKazuma, but this is RyuhouxKazuma. There, you've been warned. Reviews and constructive critism welcome, flames will be completely ignored.

**Also: **_italics are flashbacks,_

anything in parentheses (...) are thoughts

_anything in italics and parentheses are thoughts in the flashbacks. (...)_

* * *

**Chapter One: Found in Sober Conditions**

"Remind me why we're out here again?" Ryuhou asked the girl walking in front of him, their threadbare hooded cloaks blowing in the wind of the open plateau.

"To find your rival and bring him home to Kanami-chan," She said, turning her head and smiling at him, her violet eyes knowing.

"Right. Thanks Selina," he said, sparing her a smile in return.

Selina nodded, "No problem." She turned her gaze back forward and looked ahead, the movement making her hood blow off her head, revealing long hot-pink hair that reached her waist. She kept walking, apparently not bothered by the wind.

They continued their journey through the desolate landscape of the Lost Ground, and now Ryuhou remembered why. It had been 5 years since his no-holds-barred fight with Kazuma, and now there was barely any opposition from the Mainland. He had, however, not seen Kazuma much since that fight. He saw him for brief fights over the next year or so, but for the past 3 he hadn't even heard of him.

Ryuhou had returned to the village where Tachibana, Cammy, Mimori, and Kanami resided in to check up on things and take a rest. He soon met Selina, too, and they all told him how they hadn't seen Kazuma either. At first, Ryuhou thought it was nothing, since Kazuma did like to keep his distance from everyone. Then, while Cammy and Mimori were cooking dinner, Kanami had told him something very disturbing.

Kanami said that for the period right after his and Kazuma's fight, she hadn't dreamed of them, and that she'd thought she'd never dream of them again. But after awhile, her dreams had returned. She had given a name to her Alter, and now called her dreaming 'scrying'. She was scrying to keep tabs on both him and Kazuma, but for the past few months, she'd sensed something was wrong. All of her dreams of Kazuma were blank. She could still feel his existence, but he wasn't thinking or feeling anything. Which, as they all knew, was impossible for Kazuma.

So it was decided that since Ryuhou was the only one strong enough to drag Kazuma back if need be, he was the one who would set forth to find him.

With the help of his new companion Selina, a female Alter user who had become Kanami's best friend. Selina had a very curious Alter power, one she had named 'insight'. When she activated her Alter while she was in physical contact with another person, she could read all of their memories in an instant. She not manipulate the memories like to brainwash them, and she could not destroy them. She could, however, of course read them, put them back in order if someone's mind is muddled, undo amnesia, and pull someone's mind back out of a coma. And, if she held, say, Kanami's hand while she was reading someone's memories, she could show them to Kanami as well. She used her Alter in the village as a doctor's assistant, a job she loved and when she couldn't use her Alter she worked with medicine. She had come decided to come along for a reason; Kanami's alter was psychological, so Kazuma's problem was psychological. Her Alter was psychological too, so she could help Kazuma.

Currently, he and Selina were heading towards the mountain range that covered most of the island's interior, thinking that if Kazuma was seeking shelter, he'd most likely seek it in the network of caverns at its base. They'd started this way, moving west as they'd found evidence of Kazuma's Shellbullet, confirmed of course by Ryuhou, near the city. Each of them carried a backpack, Selina's carrying a First-Aid kit, matches, money, and food. Ryuhou's was carrying an extra cloak, the cooking utensils, and an electric lamp.

They stopped and looked around as they stood in the middle of what looked like a canyon, with a few open crags in the mountain walls that formed good-sized caves. They split up and started the tedious task of trying to find him wihout a word. Hours passed, and the sun was minutes from starting to set. Just when Ryuhou thought they'd reached another dead end in their search, he saw a figure lying in the cave he was investigating. He walked in and gasped.

His search had been successful. Lying on the stone floor, unconscious, was Kazuma. But even Ryuhou was shocked at his condition. His body was covered in dirt and small bruises, his scars from his Shellbullet now extending up the right side of his neck and covering half his face. And through the rips in Kazuma's shirt, Ryuhou could tell they covered half of his chest as well. Kazuma's clothes were ruffled and dirty, his once trademark one-sleeved jacket looking like rags. His once short but full auburn hair now reached his shoulders, covered with grime. His expression was blank, though his forehead was covered with beads of sweat.

"Kazuma!" Ryuhou said, dashing to his rivals side and turning him over on his back, worried when not even a small moan came from Kazuma. "Selina, over here!" he called, and quick as a flash, Selina came in while Ryuhou slipped off his backpack.

She did the same. "Get out the lamp," she said, "We need more light."

Ryuhou pulled it out and turned the knob, and the bulb lit up. It revealed much of the cave, which actually was pretty small despite its appearance. At the back was a deep, clear pool of water that was fed from a stalactite above it that dripped water into it. That must have been why Kazuma had chosen this cave. They sat their backpacks up against the rock wall and kneeled next to Kazuma.

"I think he has a fever," Ryuhou said, getting the First-Aid kit out of Selina's backpack while Selina felt the skin of his cheek.

"Gods, he's burning up," Selina hissed. "Hand me the fever medicine, next to the bandages."

Ryuhou got the small, 1-dose bottle and handed it to her, "Here."

Selina carefully lifted Kazuma's head up slightly and tilted the medicine into his throat, being careful not to gag him. When all of it was gone, Ryuhou put it back along with the kit before turning back to Selina.

Selina put her hand on Kazuma's forehead, closing her eyes in concentration, and a baby blue glow started to form around her as she activated her Alter. "Insight," she whispered, and the glow appeared over Kazuma as well. A minute passed, and she opened her eyes, looking solemn.

"Well?" Ryuhou asked impatiently.

"He's... very far away..." Selina said softly in reply.

Ryuhou's eyes widened slightly, not wanting to know what she meant. "You mean he..."

Selina shook her head, "But he is in a deep coma, and if we don't help him he'll probably never wake up."

"We?" Ryuhou asked.

Selina looked to him, "My Alter can help him, but I need you to lend me some of your strength. Because the sadder the memories, the harder it is for me to pull someone's mind back." She cocked her head slightly to the right, "So, how about it? You'll only see some of his memories."

Ryuhou debated for a second. Kazuma wouldn't like it, but Kazuma wasn't in a position to argue right now. Besides, he'd die if Ryuhou didn't, and some part of him didn't want Kazuma to die, for his and Kanami's sake. "All right," he said formally, holding his hand out "Use as much as you need."

Selina took his hand...

... And then he was completely somewhere else. All around him was a tunnel of what looked like blue and gold electric currents running through slightly red nerves. Suddenly, Selina appeared beside him. "Selina, where are we?"

"All memories in the brain are an electrical current at first," Selina exclaimed in a logical voice, "which occurs when a person is experiencing and reacting. I use what I call 'current dating' to put the oldest currents, aka the earliest memories, at the beginning, and the recent, aka present memories at the end." She looked ahead, "Here comes the first memory."

_It was daytime in a small town in the old underdeveloped area. People went about with their shopping and everyday lives in the small streets, while a grassy patch of meadow lay not too far away._

Ryuhou stood in the memory, amazed at the detail. Selina however, looked used to it. After all, this was her Alter power. Ryuhou noticed that while the memory was in full color, they were covered in a gray glow and no one seemed to notice them.

Selina could see his questioning glance and answered his unvoiced question, "We can't interact with people here because it has already happened, nor can we change the course of the memories' events. We are merely observers given a 3-D view."

Ryuhou nodded. "Where's Kazuma? This is his memory."

_Just then, a group of children came into view, running towards the patch of grass as they kicked a ball around. _

_"Come on Kazuma!" one kid laughed, "Let us have the ball for once!"_

_A boy with auburn hair jumped onto a rock, kicking the ball up and down repeatedly and steadily on one knee. He was a little more dusty and disheveled compared to the others, but they didn't seem to know it as they laughed with him. It was only when the boy turned his head back while he grinned, with his right eye closed as he winked, did his identity become recognizable._

_"Nu-uh," Kazuma said, "You're gonna have to get it from me!" He jumped off and kicked the ball and they started to play again, laughing. The adults passing by in the market smiled at them._

It was a simple sight, but a peaceful one nonetheless. They watched the game, Kazuma making flawless steals and moves, sometimes sliding on the ground. Ryuhou could recognize the cat-like grace he's come to know Kazuma possessed.

_As one kid kicked it forward, Kazuma used the back of his heel to kick it up into the air before the kid could kick it, and caught it on him head. He balanced before jumping up and passing it to another player. _

Selina giggled. "My, he's really good, isn't he?"

Ryuhou nodded.

_"Kazuma-chan!" a voice called._

The game paused and Kazuma turned with a questioning glance into Ryuhou and Selina's direction. Ryuhou and Selina turned around to follow his gaze.

_A woman with short, sandy-blonde hair, in an orange dress and an apron on was waving to Kazuma. "Kazuma-chan, it's getting late! Time to go home!" she called._

_Kazuma smiled and said bye to his friends before running over to her as his friends continued their game. He was out of breath, but happy nonetheless to see her. "Hey Mom!" he said._

Ryuhou blinked, (Kazuma's... mother...). As he watched, he could tell just by looking at her that she was kind and caring, little different from his own mother.

_Kazuma's mother smiled and ruffled Kazuma's hair, "Come on, you can help me make dinner."_

_"Can I cut the meat?" he asked with anticipation._

_"No such thing," his mother laughed as Kazuma pouted. "But, you can help me stir the soup."_

_"Ok!" Kazuma smiled._

(Where's... his father?) Ryuhou thought, and at that moment, the new scene began to take shape.

_Kazuma was sitting on something akin to a bed and had his hands over his ears and his knees drawn up. He was gritting his teeth as if he was trying to block something out. And he was. From beyond his closed bedroom door there were sound of yelling. His mother's, and his father's._

_"So you feed the kid before me, huh?" said a deep, gruff voice._

_"He's our child, parents are supposed to look out for their kids!"_

_"And wives are supposed to cook for their husbands!"  
_

_"And husbands are supposed to bring home the baken for the wives to cook!"_

_"Hey, I work hard all day at work-"_

_"Oh sure, you call being a thug work?"_

_"I'm no thug, bitch!"_

_"You beat up on people who don't deserve it for fun and then spend your ill-gotten money on booze!"_

_"Maybe I wouldn't need booze if you let me have some every once in a while!"_

_"No, I told you before! I don't want another! The only child I want- I need- is Kazuma!"_

_The husband growled and was heard leaving the house. It was quite, and there was the creaks of steps heard on the wooden floor. The knob turned and Kazuma's door eased open. He gasped and looked up to see him mother, who instantly sat down on the bed with him. _

_"I'm sorry you had to hear that, Kazuma-chan," she said sadly._

_Kazuma glanced away. "Mom... if it'll make Dad stop hurting you... I could leave if you want."_

Both Selina and Kazuma's mom gasped at the statement. Ryuhou's widened only further. He'd already been amazed at Kazuma's father for his cruelty, and now he was shocked that at such a young age, Kazuma was thinking himself a burden on others and didn't want to trouble his mother. It really showed he was beyond his years in... not wisdom... but something. Once more, he was sure now that his being an Alter user may have inconvenienced his own parents, but as a child he never thought of it that way.

_"No, Kazuma," his mother said firmly, "You aren't doing anything wrong. Don't worry about Dad, I'm sure nothing worse than this will ever happen." She did, however, voice a trace of doubt. She sighed and ruffled Kazuma's hair, "But if something bad does happen, I want you to run as fast as you can to somewhere you can be free, ok?"_

_Kazuma cocked his head to the side, confused, but obediently nodded to his mother's request. She smiled and the scene blurred._

"Selina, does Kanami-chan know anything about this?" Ryuhou asked her.

"No," Selina said as she shook her head, "Kazuma never told her. Still, you can't blame him."

Ryuhou shook his head in agreement before looking up as the next memory started coming in flashes. making both him and Selina shocked.

_The sound of glass breaking, and a table was seen overturned. Kazuma formed in the memory, looking maybe a year older, and getting knocked to the ground and then backing up against the corner, looking scared out of his wits. Another flash of his mother on the ground with broken glass from a beer bottle around her, bleeding and unmoving as her hair, which was wet with beer, hid her face. Just then, a shadow of someone tall and threatening reaching down and grabbing Kazuma's right arm and yanking him up. Kazuma yelling as a glow started to form around him and the pottery started dematerializing around him. It went on his arm and then-BOOM. _

Ryuhou and Selina, out of habit, covered their eyes and faces as smoke and wood flew everywhere, even though technically it couldn't hurt them. They looked up as it cleared.

_Kazuma was standing unscathed among rubble and what was left of his house, the bodies of his parents nowhere to be seen. He blinked in surprise and looked at his arm, touching it cautiously, saying, "Wha-what is this thing?" He didn't have time to form an answer though, because then a crowd that had heard the commotion stated to gather in the morning light. They stared in horror a the devastation and gasped when they saw Kazuma._

_"It's that kid! He's an Alter user!"_

_"He killed his own parents! Get him!"_

_"Get out of here, freak!"_

_They commenced to throwing wood and rocks at him and Kazuma started to run away blindly as fast as he could. One of the kids kicked the ball from before and it hit Kazuma square in the back of the head, making Kazuma crash to the ground on his stomach. He groaned, but got to his feet and started running again, not looking back as the memory swirled into a color of white._

Selina noticed Ryuhou's shocked face. "What is it Ryuhou-san?"

Ryuhou caught himself and shook his head to get his features back to normal. Once he did, he said, "Just a bit of... culture shock. I knew Native Alters had it rough, but... that was new."

"Well, what did ya expect? That they'd treat 'em like heroes?" Selina said, shrugging.

Ryuhou shrugged back, "Not that."

"The next memories are about to start," Selina said.

Ryuhou looked up from the colors as shapes started to form and hoped the worst was over in Kazuma's life. But, knowing his rival's luck, he doubted it. But even so, there had to have been something happy in Kazuma's life. Something that was important...

* * *

**Midnight: **Kazuma's parents, which I made up, I made them that way because in episode 7, you see some of Kazuma's memories, and there's a woman (I think) on the ground when he's got his alter out. That was the inspiration for his mom, and as for his dad, every Scryed fan's have to have noticed how he hates being like a thug, and I made his dad the reason why.


	2. Once in a Lifetime Meetings

**Title:** Rival Unraveled

**Author:** Midnight Rose Princess

**Rating:** M (for Kazuma's language, and violence in later chapters)

**Summary:** Ryuhou and (OC)Selina go to find Kazuma for Kanami. They do, and as Kazuma's past is played before Ryuhou's eyes, will his feelings for Kazuma turn into something else?

**Midnight's Note:** I've also made up one more memory for this chapter; when Kanami first met Kimishima. And I'm not putting Cougar in the memories, because I'm saving that little tidbit for later. And just to let you know, I'm editing the memories here and there to make them flow, but I didn't change what I already had. Confused? Don't worry, you'll see what I mean.

**Disclaimer:** Are you trying to make me cry?! I do not own Scryed. If I did, you wouldn't know about it, because I'd keep Kazu-kun all to myself. You can have Mimori, though. Hahaha, don't take it personally! If you're a (female) Kazuma fan like me I'm sure you feel the same way, right?

**Warning: **Mimori fans, I'm not gonna bash Mimori in this, but she is NOT ending up with Ryuhou! Don't like it? Then don't read. Reason why: I like Mimori with Cougar, not Ryuhou! Ryuhou is with KAZUMA!!! Yaoi!! I do like KanamixKazuma, but this is RyuhouxKazuma. There, you've been warned. Reviews and constructive critism welcome, flames will be completely ignored.

**Also: **_italics are flashbacks,_

anything in parentheses (...) are thoughts

_anything in italics and parentheses are thoughts in the flashbacks. (....)_

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**Chapter Two: Once in a Lifetime Meetings**

_The sky was a dark, grayish indigo, full of dark clouds. It was raining lightly, but still enough to get someone soaked within a minute or so. There was a petite little girl who looked to be a toddler, no older than 4, eating a small loaf of bread while under an overhang of a concrete building, an umbrella next to her._

"Kanami-chan," Ryuhou whispered out, recognizing her, "Selina, have you seen this in Kanami's memories, too?"

"Mm-hm," Selina hummed, "Both of them hold this memory close to their hearts."

"Why is Kanami out here all alone at such a young age?" Ryuhou asked.

"Well, there's no way to know for sure," Selina said, "But Kanami-chan speculates her parents must have found out she was an Alter user and abandoned her. Or maybe there was some tye of accident or an illness and they died."

There was a splash, and both turned around to see what had caused it.

_Kazuma, who looked to be twelve years old, was leaning on the same concrete building Kanami was at, also looking to get out of the rain. He was holding his right arm with his left, probably he'd just ran away from a fight he'd won. The only thing that separated them was a bit of the concrete that jugged out of the wall._

_Kazuma noticed Kanami's cautious stare, and smiled at her. "Hey," he greeted, "What's goin' on? You mind if I stand here?"_

_Kanami made a small noise and, with a shaking hand, offered Kazuma her bread loaf, trembling all over._

_"Huh?" Kazuma said, looking confused, "What're you doin'?"_

_"I don't want... to get hurt..." Kanami said in a scared, bell-sounding voice._

_Kazuma looked insulted, "Forget it! I'm not a thief!" He calmed down and put both his hands in his pockets. "And besides, if you're afraid of getting hurt, what're you doin' standing out here? You should be inside."_

_Kanami listened, looking at Kazuma with an attentive look._

_"You always gotta think before you act. Like rather you're gonna keep that bread, or give it away. Only you can decide." He looked at Kanami, and she broke off the side of the loaf she hadn't bitten into yet, and offered it to him, no longer trembling in the slightest. "Huh?" Kazuma said, looking confused. She nodded, and he took the bread anyway. They simultaneously sat down leaning on the wall, eating the bread in silence until Kazuma broke it with his voice. "So uh, what's your name?"_

_"Kanami Yuta."_

_"Well, I'm Kazuma. No last name--just plain old Kazuma."_

_"Kazun?" Kanami said as if experimenting._

_"Hey, cool it!" Kazuma said, looking flustered, "It's not like we're already friends!"_

_"Then... Why don't I call you Kazu-kun?"_

_"Ugh, make me gag." Kazuma sighed, "Whatever."_

(So that's where the nickname cam from) Ryuhou thought, (That's one mystery solved).

_Kazuma got up, done with the bread. "Thanks for the snack, Kanami, see ya." He started to walk away now that the rain was letting up. _

_Kanami stood up and opened her umbrella, following him while still holding her small portion of bread._

_"Hey! Don't follow me! You do and you just might end up hurt!"_

_Kanami shook her head, "Only I can decide, right? I decide to stay with you, Kazu-kun."_

_"Quit calling me that!" Kazuma started, but paused when Kanami gave him the puppy-dog-eyes. Kazuma faltered under the look and scoffed, turning around and resuming his pace, "Whatever."_

_Kanami giggled and followed closely behind him._

The next memory took form rather quickly to Ryuhou's suprise.

_Kazuma, who looked a year older, was sitting on a bridge in the ruined city area looking down, in more ways than one. He had a leather glove on his right hand, signaling he'd started to get tidbits of scars there. Suddenly another man appeared one at least a year older than Kazuma. _

_"Yo! You're Kazuma, right?" the guy asked, "Word has it you're the Alter user who'll do anything if there's enough money in it."_

_"Who the hell are you?" Kazuma growled, "And how do you know so much about me?"_

_"That's my business specialty," he said, smiling._

_"You wanna fight?! Let's do it!" Kazuma said, getting off the bridge rail and standing in front of the man in a flash, taking his stance in an instant._

_The guy put up his hands in a gesture of surrender, "Hey, chill will ya? I didn't come here to mix it up with ya!"_

_Kazuma paused, confused._

_The guy moved his arms to an offering gesture, "I gotta job that's kinda dangerous, but the money's good. So? Ya intrested?"_

_"How am I supposed to trust someone I don't know?" Kazuma asked, still suspicious._

_The guy frowned before smiling again. "See, while you're doin' the job, I'll be the sponser's hostage. If we should happen to fail, you'll be out of the money, but I'll be out of my life."_

_Kazuma blinked and relaxed his stance, suprised that a stranger was trusting him with his life._

_The guy smiled at Kazuma's reaction. "I've been in the business quite a while now and I have good instincts. I thought I'd make a good partner for ya." He winked, "So?"_

The next scene was blurry, like smoke, and Selina had to close her eyes to focus it and get it clear. As soon as she did though, the memory commenced.

_Lots of mean looking guys were crowded around the guy, who looked bruised a door burst open and the guys parted to where the guy was able to see Kazuma standing in the doorway. _

_"Yo! You're late!" the guy said._

_"You __were__ serious," Kazuma said, "So you weren't just scamming me?"_

_"It's my job, it's what I do."_

_Kazuma smiled and, since he already had his Alter out, jumped into the crowd of guys fighting._

The memory flashed to the next one instantly.

_It was nighttime and Kazuma was in the old clinic where he and Kanami used to live and he was whispering a conversation with the same guy from before._

_"So you're sure this job won't take long?" Kazuma asked in a whisper._

_"Why do you care?" the guy asked, "I thought working on a farm was too boring for you."_

_"Well, it's just that---"_

_"Kazu-kun...?" came a small voice._

_Kazuma gasped and turned around, the guy moving to the side to see who had made the sound as well. It was Kanami, who was wearing an oversized pink sweater that went to her knees, standing at the base of some stairs. She was still a small child. Her hair was down, going to the middle of her waist, and she was rubbing her eyes sleepily._

_"Kazu-kun?" she asked, "Why are you still up?" She gasped as she noticed the guy standing next to Kazuma. "Who's this?"_

_"Well, uh, he's--" Kazuma started, all flustered by the situation._

_"Nice to meetcha!" the guy said, walking over to Kanami calmly, and holding out his hand, "I'm Kuniko Kimishima. I'm a new friend of Kazuma's."_

_"Kazu-kun, you made a new friend?" she asked Kazuma._

_Kazuma and Kimishima's gaze met for a second and Kazuma smiled, "Yeah."_

_Kanami smiled and looked back to Kimihima. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Kimishima," she said, taking his hand and shaking it, "I'm Kanami Yuta."_

_"Pleasure's all mine, Kanami," Kimishima said._

_"So Kazu-kun," Kanami asked, "What are you doing up? It's late."_

_Kazuma went over to Kanami and kneeled down to her level, putting his hands on her shoulders. "It's nothing Kanami. Kimishima's just got a job that I can do," he said in a sweet voice._

_"A job?" Kanami asked, rubbing her eyes again._

_"Yeah," Kazuma said, "That way we can get some extra money."_

_"You won't be gone long, will you?" Kanami asked, "We've got to work at the farm tomorrow."_

_"I know, Kanami, I know. Don't worry, I'll be back by morning," Kazuma assured her._

_Kanami yawned wide, becoming adorable as she did so._

_"But you've gotta get back to bed first," he said, picking her up like a little bundle against his chest. He turned to Kimishima, "I'll be back in a sec, Kimishima."_

_"Bye bye, Mr. Kimishima," Kanami said, waving slightly over Kazuma's shoulder as he carried her upstairs._

_"Ok, bye Kanami!" Kimishima said, waving back._

_Kazuma took her upstairs to a room with a few colorful ceramic pots on a windowsill full of flowers, the window giving a great view of the starry sky outside. There was a rug by the bed, where Kanami's shoes were, and her ribbon was on the bed beside the pillow. It had to have been the cleanest room in the clinic. Kazuma set her down on the bed and put the covers over her._

_"Sweet dreams, ok Kanami?" Kazuma said, tucking her in. He was about to leave when she grabbed his rolled up sleeve. He looked back at her questioningly._

_"You'll be careful, right Kazu-kun?"_

_"Yeah, I will."_

_"Promise?"_

_"Promise," Kazuma assured, and with that Kanami went back off to sleep. Kazuma left her room and quietly shut the door behind him and went back downstairs to Kimishima. "Ok, let's go."_

_They went outside and got on a small four-wheeler outside and Kimishima reved it up. _

_"So, who's she?" Kimishima asked, "She's really cute."_

_"Don't be getting any funny ideas," Kazuma warned._

_"Haha, you're so protective," Kimishima laughed before smiling at Kazuma, "Don't worry, I'm not like that."_

_Kazuma smiled back and Kimishima put it in gear and they were off._

"Selina?" Ryuhou asked, "How close were Kazuma and Kimishima?"

"Why do you ask?"

"No reason," Ryuhou said offhandedly, "It's just that I think I've heard Kazuma mention him to me once."

"Well," Selina closed her eyes and the memory was engulfed in color again. However, Selina reached out as pulses of information seemed to whiz by.

"What are these things?" Ryuhou asked.

"There data memories," Selina said, "When you lable someone as this or that in your mind, it makes data memories. So whenever someone mentions that person, these are the first things that come into your mind when you picture that person."

Ryuhou nodded.

"Here it is," Selina said, grazing one with her fingers, "Kazuma has labled Kimishima as his best friend." She let it go and the next memory, you guessed it, started to form.

Ryuhou had heard Kazuma mention once that HOLD had killed his friend. Had Kimishima been the friend? As he recalled, Kazuma had also mentioned someone named Ayase, and he'd known the Dars that had come with Kagetsuki before they'd been refined. Just what had Kazuma's life been like before they brought about an upheaval for the first time?

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**Midnight: **See what I mean now by editing? I keep the memories the same, I just add on a little more so the memories will flow in together. Plus, I've always wondered what it was like when Kanami first met Kimishima, since they never show it in the series, but that's how I imagine it in my mind. I also made Kazuma sweet like that because back then, Kanami did completely need his help to survive, but by the time she was 8 when the series started, he was trying to teach her how to live life on her own, as she mentioned in episode 25.


	3. Old Routines & Last Meetings

**Title:** Rival Unraveled

**Author:** Midnight Rose Princess

**Rating:** M (for Kazuma's language, and violence in later chapters)

**Summary:** Ryuhou and (OC)Selina go to find Kazuma for Kanami. They do, and as Kazuma's past is played before Ryuhou's eyes, will his feelings for Kazuma turn into something else?

**Midnight's Note:** This chapter's gonna be a bit longer, but trust me, there's gonna be one more chapter of memories after this and then the main story starts up.

**Disclaimer:** Are you trying to make me cry?! I do not own Scryed. If I did, you wouldn't know about it, because I'd keep Kazu-kun all to myself. You can have Mimori, though. Hahaha, don't take it personally! If you're a (female) Kazuma fan like me I'm sure you feel the same way, right?

**Warning: **This is yaoi. There, you've been warned. Reviews and constructive critism welcome, flames will be completely ignored.

**Also: **_italics are flashbacks,_

anything in parentheses (...) are thoughts

_anything in italics and parentheses are thoughts in the flashbacks. (....)_

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**Chapter Three: Old Routines and Last Meetings**

_The scene showed a sunny day in the underdeveloped areas most of the Inners called home. Kazuma, who looked the same as when Ryuhou first met him say Alter out, was walking down the street with a roll of money in his hand. He payed a fee to go through a tunnel after giving some of the bills secretly to the kid. The memory skipped to him and Kanami in he old clinic and Kazuma was on a rotating chair drinking a glass of water._

_"So?" Kanami asked, "How was your work?" Kazuma pulled out a single bill and Kanami took it, "Is that it?"_

Ryuhou slapped his hand to his forehead at his rival's idiodicy while Selina was laughing. (What a moronic thing to d--) Ryuhou couldn't even finish the thought, (He gave all but one to that kid!)

_"Well, ya see, it's like this," Kazuma started._

_"It's all right, you don't have to tell me," Kanami said, putting the bill in a box they used as a safe._

_"Hey, would ya let me finish!?" Kazuma said. He started to make quick, miming gestures, saying, "Everything was going great! Then I got distracted... I looked away for just a second and made this huge mistake!"_

_"Yeah, yeah," Kanami said under her breath before turning around, "This money won't go very far."_

_Kazuma made a small groan and his frame noticeably slumped in what could be called mini-shame. "I know..." he said in a small voice, crossing his legs indian-style._

_"You're a worthless, good-for-nothing bum," Kanami said plain as day._

_"It's true," Kazuma admitted, "You might as well add 'stupid loser' to the list." He turned the chair around and handed Kanami the glass. "Thanks for the drink."_

_"We've hardly any rice or vegetables left!" Kanami said, "What do we do?"_

_"We'll do whatever we have to do," Kazuma said, still looking down at his crossed legs._

_"Like what?" Kanami challenged._

_"Maybe we could..." Kazuma mumbled. "Aaahhhh!" Kazuma shouted as he sat straight up with his hands on each side of his head, "I spend all my time worrying how we're gonna make it!!"_

_"So what do we do?" Kanami asked again, ignoring the outburst._

Ryuhou was blinking more than necessary at the scene. He'd never seen Kazuma act like this before. So lively and energetic, so... happy.

_Kazuma's mini-panic attack was interrupted by soft rapts on the glass window across from where he and Kanami were. Kazuma looked over and sighed, claming down. "Man," he said, "What do you want?"_

_The window slid open, revealing an older, 17 year old Kimishima. "Hey, what's happenin'?"_

_Kazuma fanned his hand at him, and he said in a whining voice, "Dude, go away, we don't want any."_

_"That's harsh, man!" Kimishima said in a purposefuly surfer-kinda voice._

_"Don't worry about it," Kanami said, contradicting Kazuma, "Come on in."_

_"Thanks Kanami, don't mind if I do," Kimishima said, starting to climb over the windowsill._

_"Not through the window!" Kazuma griped a second too late._

_"I'll get you something to drink," Kanami said, ignoring Kazuma starting to leave the room._

_"Don't bother, he's leaving!" Kazuma said._

_"Thanks, that'd be great!" Kimishima said to Kanami as she shut the door and left._

_"So, what do you want?" Kazuma asked, walking over to Kimishima._

_"Well," Kimishima said, sitting down on a wooden bench by the window, "You've heard about the Lardis gang, haven't you? They hang out by the subway ruins."_

_"That's Hideki's gang, right?" Kazuma asked, "Just a bunch of kids."_

_"That's right. And now there's another gang who's trying to break into their territory." He paused, "But this other gang's led by an Alter user."_

_"Ah, I get it," Kazuma said, putting a hand on his hip, "Fight fire with fire."_

_Kimishima chuckled, "Somethin' like that."_

_"If this guy's really an Alter user, I can't guarantee what'll happen." But it was clear through Kazuma's smirk that he really thought quite otherwise and wasn't worried._

_Kimishima seemed to know this as well. "Yeah, whatever," he replied._

Ryuhou was slightly culture-shocked at how everyday this seemed. But the he remembered how Kanami had once said to him, when he still had amnesia, that Kazuma had been taking care of everything until the two of them had fought. So naturally Kazuma would know all of the goings-on in his area. Selina looked used to it, probably because she'd seen such things in Kanami's memories.

_"All right!" Kazuma said, punching the air, "It's not like Hideki's a total stranger or anything! I'll do it for 3 thou!"_

_"Pay's 30," Kimishima stated._

_"Are you outta your mind?!" Kazuma yelled in disbelief, "Get the hell outta here!"_

_Kimishima stood up, "You're asking for way too much."_

_"I need the money! I'm like totally broke!"_

_"Huh?" Kimishima asked shocked, "What about that job this morning? You were supposed to make a fortune!"_

_Kazuma blinked, and straightened up, glancing the other way, "I'm telling you, I'm broke."_

_Kimishima gaped at him before slapping his own face with his hand, instantly knowing what happened. "Oh, I can't believe this! You did it again! You're such an idiot!"_

_"That's it! Leave!" Kazuma said, making a face._

_The door opened again to reveal Kanami, "Mr. Kimishima, stay for dinner?"_

_"That sounds great! Thanks!"_

_"You're such a leech!" Kazuma said, grabbing the lapels of Kimishima's jacket._

_"Takes one to know one!" Kimishima countered, doing the same._

_"2 grand!"_

_"It's 30!"_

_They growled at each other before jumping apart and taking fighting stances. But instead of fighting, they started to leave it up to rock-paper-scizzors to decide. But they each played the same element at the same time. Kanami sighed upward, blowing one of her bangs up as if used to this._

Ryuhou's mind was somewhere else as they watched. (The subway ruins?) he thought, (When I first met Kazuma, he was by some subway ruins. This must have been earlier that same day.)

The memories swirled back into the waves of electricity, and this time, Selina had closed her eyes and wasn't showing any more memories. "The next memories are of him at HOLY and then escaping it," Selina said as if reading Ryuhou's thoughts, "Kimishima helped him escape and getting back to Kanami. I'm putting them in order so I can get to the memories that are a bit murky."

Ryuhou nodded. A minute later, or so it seemed to Ryuhou, she finished and a new memory did start to form.

_Kazuma was working on the roof of a building on the farm, within sight of Kanami, who was washing dishes but stealing glances at him from the window in a building across the dirt path. He was wearing a yellow hardhat and growled before saying, "Agh! I gotta eat!"_

_"Hey!" yelled a man from below who was on the path, who looked like he was in charge, "Don't even think about slacking off! Penalty 3!"_

_"Ok! I'm sorry!" Kazuma said before sighing, "That old man's got too much energy. He doesn't like me much either."_

_Just then, a small pebble hit his hard hat from the other side of the roof he was working on. Kazuma looked down to see Kimishima on a motorcycle. "Yo!" Kimishima greeted._

_Kazuma smiled and looked around before sneaking off the roof and landing near Kimishima, "Yo!" They went a bit aways from the wall of the big farm out of sight and Kazuma took a seat on the hood of one of the many broken down cars, while Kimishima proceeded to dig through one on top of two others for who know what._

_"So, what is it you're here for Kimishima? Right now I'm working really hard with a lot of other honest citizens and it's very tiring. So I'm not in much of a mood to talk with a questionable character like you, if you catch my drift here. So go away!" Kazuma said._

_"Just cut it out, will ya?" Kimishima said, "I know you don't really wanna work with them. Now this time I found you a job that's paying 500."_

_"For real?!" Kazuma said, excited._

_"Well, actually," Kimishima started while turning around and crossing his arms, "I owe ya."_

_Kazuma pointed at himself, "Me?"_

_"That's right!" Kimshima said as he proceeded to enthusiastically do dramatic and heroic poses. "He's the only Alter user to escape from the escape-proof HOLY headquarters! He alone beat 20 Alter users and destroyed their building! The Native Alter who stood up to protect our peaceful life-the one and only Kazuma!"_

_Kazuma asked with a pout,, "Did ya have to exaggerate that much?"_

_"Hey, what's the matter with you? It's a once-in-a-lifetime chance to get rich in a hurry! If we didn't act now we'd be nuts!" Kimishima paused and sighed as he tried one last thing to convince him, "Kanami hasn't been able to eat all that well, has she? Don't you feel guilty? I do, but hey, that's just me."_

_It worked. "Whatever," Kazuma said nonchalantly, "Well, when do we begin?"_

_"Right now."_

_"Are you crazy?!" Kazuma said, jumping to his feet._

_Kimishima dashed over to him and grabbed the lapels of Kazuma's trademark one-sleeved jacket and looked up at him, "Please, come on, just think of the potential here! There couldn't be a more perfect job for you! Besides, it's for my happiness, too!"_

_Kazuma grabbed the lapels of Kimishima's jacket and started to shake him back and forth. "Who cares about your happiness?!!" he yelled._

The memory skipped after showing Kazuma's yellow hardhat with a note on it that read: Out on a journey. Ryuhou and Selina chuckled at Kazuma's nerve as the memory took shape.

_Kazuma was sitting on a small cliff that overlooked a HOLY camp that contained trapped inners and a farm that the HOLY officers forced them to work on. But no one was out now, since it was night, and most were asleep. _

_Kimishima was a bit aways behind Kazuma, asleep in a sleeping bag but squirming with his fantasies and dreams, saying, "Ayase... oh, oh, don't touch me there..."_

_Kazuma's eyebrow was twitching in annoyance at his best friend. "Idiot," he said simply._

_A woman came up beside Kazuma. She had long brown hair that was pulled up in an elegant knot at the back of her head and a strange hair ornament in her hair that looked like a sea shell. "Shouldn't you get some rest?" she asked Kazuma, handing him a mug of something to drink. _

_He took it while she sat down beside him and he said, "I'd lose my edge if I rested now."_

(So that must be Ayase) Ryuhou concluded, suprised that Kazuma knew such a beautiful woman.

_"So are you gonna do this kind of work forever?" Ayase asked him._

_"For an Alter user like me, there's not a whole lot else I can do," he answered._

_"What I've done is just kept quiet. I've hardly let anyone know I have this kind of power. My own brother probably doesn't even know." She continued while looking at the stars above them, "Everyone looks at an Alter user with such contempt. But this'll be my first time to actually use it. I can finally be proud of my power. Maybe my power can actualy help someone."_

_"So why do you want to get involved in this?" Kazuma asked, "It's dangerous. You could even get killed."_

_Ayase looked down at the camp, "They've got my brother in there and he's very sick. Besides, everyone down there is like my family. Don't you ever feel like that sometimes?"_

_A quick image of Kanami passed through Kazuma's mind. "No, I'm afraid I don't."_

_"It's sad, isn't it?" she said rhetorically._

_Kazuma stood, "But I can tell ya this. If there was this great big wall and I had to go through it, you can bet I'd use my power without any doubt or hesitation. I wouldn't think twice about it. Nothing would stop me. The key is; don't hesitate. If you really wanna save your brother, don't hesitate."_

_Ayase stood up as well. "You know, there seems to be a wall right in front of us," she said, her eyes locked on the camp made by HOLY._

_"Yep" Kazuma said, "And we're goin' through it."_

_Ayase smiled and said, "That's right."_

The memory disappeared and another one formed.

_Kimishima, Kazuma, and Ayase were in an old train compartment with other Native Alter users. And they unmistakably the ones who would later be captured and sent to the Mainland, becoming the Dars they would face with Kagetsuki. They were planning an ambush on HOLY and near the end a big fat guy named Biff barged in and they just continued planning. Ayase keeping a bored Kazuma under control while Kimishima helped with strategy._

The memory disappeared and Selina sighed. "Ryuhou-san, just to warn you, I'm almost done bringing him out of it. But his next memories are the most painful, and painful memories are the hardest for me to go through. So I have to get just a little more of your Alter's help, ok?"

"All right," Ryuhou said, "Use however much you need Selina."

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**Midnight:** Ok, like I said, next chappie's the last one with memories and the main plot will soon start.


	4. Long Goodbyes

**Title:** Rival Unraveled

**Author:** Midnight Rose Princess

**Rating:** M (for Kazuma's language, and violence in later chapters)

**Summary:** Ryuhou and (OC)Selina go to find Kazuma for Kanami. They do, and as Kazuma's past is played before Ryuhou's eyes, will his feelings for Kazuma turn into something else?

**Midnight's Note:** Last chapter with memories! Who hoo! And people... plz... review... at least my friends review...

**Disclaimer:** Are you trying to make me cry?! I do not own Scryed. If I did, you wouldn't know about it, because I'd keep Kazu-kun all to myself. You can have Mimori, though. Hahaha, don't take it personally! If you're a (female) Kazuma fan like me I'm sure you feel the same way, right?

**Warning: **This is yaoi. There, you've been warned.

**Also: **_italics are flashbacks,_

anything in parentheses (...) are thoughts

_anything in italics and parentheses are thoughts in the flashbacks. (....)_

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**Chapter Four: Long Goodbyes**

Ryuhou waited as Selina concentrated on putting the memories in order before she could show them and restore them. His mind was concentrating, too. He specifically recalled Kazuma once mentioning Ayase and Kimishima to him at once. Then it hit him, (I remember now... It was just before Kanami was kidnapped by Biff, who must've been refined... Kazuma said that if someone thought that was funny, what happened to Ayase and Kimishima, he'd destroy them.) Ryuhou paused, (Something must have happened to them... something... bad...)

Selina sighed, "There, here's the first."

_Kazuma was in what looked like a playground area surrounded by HOLY Dars. Suddenly Kimishima's voice called out "Yeah!" and he appeared in a car and shot at the Dars, who unfortunately dodged so he was shooting at Kazuma's feet._

_"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!" Kazuma said, trying not to get shot and gave you the impression he was dancing. "Hey!"_

_Kimishima's car swerved wildly and Kazuma darted out of the way for dear life as Kimishima stopped the car. Kimishima got out with a gun in each hand and walked over to Kazuma, "Yo!" He had bandages on one of his legs, hinting that in the failed ambush they'd planned with the other Natives he'd been injured._

_"Yo nothing!" Kazuma yelled, "What do you think you're doin'?!"_

_"Hey pal," Kimishima said, "I don't need to hear that from you! Oh, by the way, Kanami is safe."_

_"Huh? She is?" Kazuma asked before smiling, "You are the man, Kimishima."_

_"Huh? Was that a thank you?" Kimishima asked._

_"Whatever. How'd you manage to figure out where I was?"_

_"Well, I watched you one the news--" The Dars reappeared from the purple mist they'd become, cutting him off, "What the hell are these guys?"_

_"I don't know what they are," Kazuma answered while taking his stance, "One minute they break apart and then they come back together!"_

_"They break apart?" Kimishima asked, "Then they must--" Kimishima blinked and got an idea, "Hey Kazuma, can you bring out that thing?"_

_"What thing?" Kazuma asked._

_"You know, when you shine your right arm. Can you blow them away with that thing?"_

_"Yeah," Kazuma said, confused, "Sure I can, but--"_

_"Just do it! Now!" Kimishima said, backing up near the playset._

_"When did you start ordering--" Kazuma started as his hair-trigger temper twitched._

_"Just do it!" Kimishima said, "I know it's weird but just trust me for once, will ya?"_

_Kazuma smiled, "Yeah, sure, of course I'll trust you! You got it! This is for you!" He activated his Shell Bullet and Kimishima climbed atop the playset to get a view of the area around them. "Yeah, that's it, more power," Kazuma said as he strengthened his Alter even more._

_"And more!" Kimishima encouraged._

_"And more!"_

_"Shine brighter!" Kazuma yelled simultaneously with Kimishima._

_"I'm gonna let it go!" Kazuma warned._

_Kimishima looked around, pointing his guns. "Ok now, where are you? Where is this guy!" Kazuma hit the Dars and they turned into mist again, but Kimishima smiled and pointed his gun to a rock nearby, where he spotted another Dar. "There you are," Kimishima said, making Kazuma look to the Dar as well, "Just like I thought. So, you were transforming your bodies into Alter mist, but the one who actually uses the power has to maintain a a physical body. Otherwise, he would never be able to control everything. That mean, you're the one!" he took aim and shot down the Dar, and low and behold the other Dars rematerialized and stood again._

_Kazuma grinned and made the gold tail of his Shell Bullet start to spin and he hovered up in the air, next to where Kimishima was sitting on the playset. "Now we're in business!"_

_Kimishima smiled and relaxed, "Really sorry guys, I mean it. But the teamwork between Kazuma and me is just way better than yours, what can I say?"_

_"Damn straight!" Kazuma yelled as he zoomed up into the air, "Of course it is!"_

_Kimishima looked up at him, "That's right, Kazuma. Show them... your shining... true power!"_

_"Shell Bullet!!" Kazuma yelled, hitting the Dars in a pillar of gold light._

The memory skipped.

_Kazuma was carrying Kimishima piggyback style, walking into the sunset to get home. Kimishima was unconscious, but slowly waking. "K-Kazuma?" he asked, sounding exhausted._

_"Who else do ya think would be carrying your butt?" Kazuma asked, "You're a lot heavier than you look, you know that?"_

_"Sorry. How's your arm?"_

_"It hurts! Almost enough to cry!" Kazuma said, sort of whining._

_"That's too bad," Kimishima said._

_"Hey, a little sympathy here."_

_"Hey, where's my car anyway?"_

_"I left it there! I don't know how to drive that thing anyway."_

_"I can't believe you! But that's all right. I got this brand new vehicle. Very comfortable, too."_

_"Don't make me drop you. Geez."_

_"Hey listen!" Kimishima said, "How many vehicles do you think you're destroyed so far, __this__ year?"_

_"All right, all right," Kazuma said sheepishly, "Sorry about that."_

_Kimishima's arm slipped but he pulled it back up before Kazuma noticed. "Hey Kazuma, turn right at the next rock."_

_"Ok, ok!" Kazuma turned right and the sunlight engulfed them, so only their voices were heard. _

_"What a great vehicle. Works by voice command, even comes with a horn..."_

_"Ow! Quit leaning like that! Hey!" Kazuma huffed, "Well, I got saved by you today, so I guess this is kinda returning the favor, huh? You are __so__ heavy! Hang on tight, Kimishima." _

_It was night by the time he reached an alley where Kanami was waiting. As soon as he appeared, Kanami ran to him, grabbing his red shirt and saying his nickname six times._

_"Sorry I'm a little late," Kazuma said, "I had a few things to take care of."_

_"Hey, are you still making up stories? You know you don't have to do that anymore--!" she paused and looked up at Kimishima, scared and confused._

_"What's wrong?" Kazuma asked._

_"M-Mr. Kimishima, uh..." she looked between the two of them._

_"What? What about Kimishima? What about Kimishima, huh?" He turned to Kimishima, "Hey! You're gonna fall! Kimishima, you listening?! Hey? Say somethin' Kimishima! Kimishima, I'm not in the mood to fool around."_

_Kanami started to cry and covered her face with her hands. _

_"Hey, Kanami, what's wrong?" Kazuma stared at her before catching on, "Hey wait... Kimishima?"_

_Everything went dark as if Kazuma couldn't think clearly after that. "Hey," Kazuma said, scared, "come on, wake up! Kimishima!"_

_It flashed to Kazuma angrily destroying HOLD units, cursing repeatedly. He took Kimishima's car back and yelled with tears in his eyes. It flashed and it was daytime at the clinic, Kazuma was leaning on the car, where Kimishima's body was placed in the driver's seat. Kazuma was running his fingers over the barrel of Kimishima's handgun while Kanami stood nearby on the porch, starting to cry again._

_"That's enough," Kazuma said softly with a sad smile, "Stop crying. Crying won't solve anything. It never did."_

_"But Kazu-kun, don't you feel sad, too?" Kanami asked, worried about him._

_"I'm used to it now," Kazuma replied, "I'm used to the pain, the desertion, and the betrayal."_

_"That's not so!" Kanami argued, "I can tell that you're sad, you're just not showing it! So I'm going to go on crying! And I'm gonna cry for you, too."_

_"Don't cry for me."_

_"I can't do anything else! I'm sorry, I didn't know about anything you were doing!"_

_"I just couldn't tell you, Kanami," he said as she stepped in front of him._

_"But why?" she begged._

_"I don't know," he said, looking up to the sky._

_"Is it because of me? Were you protecting me? Trying to keep me from being tormented if I found out who you really were?"_

_"You do to much thinking."_

_"But-"_

_"Just like I said," Kazuma said, cutting her off, "Crying won't do any good anymore." There was a noise and they both looked to see some HOLD units driving by. Kazuma immediately pocketed Kimishima's gun and started heading that way._

_"Kazu-kun!"_

_Kazuma altered, "Stop calling me that silly name! I'm an Alter user! Who will do anything is the money's right. Kazuma the Shell Bullet!"_

It blurred and Ryuhou finally understood why Kazuma hated HOLD so much. A few images flashed by, of him fighting of what Ryuhou took to be the gambling matches Tachibana spoke of after their first upheaval when Kazuma had lost his memories. Then a new one started.

_Kazuma was in an airport when someone sat down beside him. There were marks on her face but she was familiar, and had long brown hair in lots of ponytails: It was Ayase Terada. Suddenly Biff, who had been refined as well as Ayase, hit him out of the airport to the nearby sea. Ayase jumped down to where Kazuma was, and used her Alter to make more water appear while Biff stood by. Ayase attacked Kazuma with water, and his only refuge was to go inside a cavern that opened up into a cave. As he panted for breath, Ayase appeared with Noble Tempest, the full form of her Alter behind her. Kazuma stood and took a fighting stance. _

_"It's all right," she said, "They can't see us in here." She let her Alter go into the water and smiled, running up to Kazuma and hugged him. "I'm sorry Kazuma! Are you all right?"_

_Kazuma blinked and dropped his Alter. She sat sown with him and she tried to convince him to come to the Mainland with her after she explained how she'd been refined. She admitted the only reason she let them use her as a lab rat because the doctors on the Mainland were treating her brother's illness. Kazuma refused of course, and she stood up._

_"A long time ago, you said something to me. Do you remember?"_

_"I see. So what you're saying is that if I don't cooperate with you, then I have become your wall."_

_"Yes, Kazuma, and I yours," she said, her Alter glow surrounding her and her hair, "I am the thick wall standing before you now. You shall not pass!"_

_The fight commenced and Kazuma was losing on purpose, near drowning in the water. Ayase stopped attacking him and he sunk to the bottom, fighting his instinct to Alter and survive. But suddenly he imagined Kimishima there, lecturing him. 20 minutes flashed by in a instant, and the water parted, Kazuma standing with the Shell Bullet out._

_"All right Kimishima, you win!" Kazuma said to himself, "I guess I'm never gonna stop carrying you on my back, am I? Heh, hang on tight."_

_"Kazuma!" Ayase yelled, but she stopped as an alarm went off, coming from the device on her wrist. She brought her wrist up to look at it. It was a heart monitor for her brother, Akira, showing his vital signs. And it was going down. "No! You've got to hold on Akira! Don't give up! Akira!" There was a long, monotonous beep. She gasped as tears started to pour out of her eyes and down her cheeks. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you Akira! It's over! There's nothing left to fight for, and no reason to live!" Behind her, Noble Tempest started to crack and drip droplets of water._

_(I know now) sounded Kazuma's thoughts, (It's not that I'm afraid to die... I'm afraid to die without accomplishing anything. ...There must be a reason why we're all here... there __has__ to be!) Kazuma flew into the air with his Shell Bullet, yelling, "I'm gonna find that reason!" He started to fly toward Ayase, activating Shell Bullet._

_Ayase looked up, "I see, so that's what they were talking about. It's amazing. Now we can be together again, Akira. I can give up. I don't have to fight." She made her Alter disappear into water and Kazuma stopped his attack, catching her as they both fell back into the water._

_"Hey," Kazuma said, "What are you doin'?"_

_"Kazuma... my brother... my brother is dead... Akira is dead..."_

_"Yeah, but you're not!"_

_"It's no good. They've refined my Alter so many times, there's nothing left."_

_"Hang on, I'm gonna get a doctor! Everything will be all right!"_

_Ayase groaned in pain from the effects of her refinement._

_"Ayase!!"_

_She smiled. "What do you know," she said softly, "You finally did it... You finally remembered my name..."_

_"Don't you even think about dyin'!"_

_Ayase put her hand on Kazuma's cheek. "Kazuma... I'm so sorry. I never wanted you to suffer. I didn't mean... I didn't mean any of those selfish things I said. Can you forgive me? I was wrong about it all. I'm sorry Kazuma, I'm so sorry..." Her eyes slipped closed and her hand fell back into the water. And just like that, she was gone._

_Kazuma held her close and screamed into the sky. Suddenly, his eyes locked on the shore to a figure in a black tuxedo. "I can feel it..." he said, "I can feel it! Standing there watching me with that grin on your face! Who the hell are you?!"_

_It flashed to him colliding with their old nemesis, Kyouji Mujo, who said to Kazuma, "Correct. I'm the one who refined her!"_

_It flashed again to Kazuma in the ruins of an old town as the wind howled. He put his hand on a cross he'd erected on a grave. "This was the city you loved. Take care of your brother, Ayase Terada."_

"This is the last memory Ryuhou-san," Selina said, "It happened when you and Kazuma last fought and you had dreams about what you really needed and wanted."

Ryuhou concentrated. He had dreamed of his colleagues at HOLY, Commander Jigmar, and most importantly, Mimori and Scheris; the two women closest to him. He now had an idea of what Kazuma's dream would be about, but still.

_The dream started. Kimishima was in a car with Ayase, looking as she did when Kazuma first met her, outside the old clinic and honking the horn. "Kazuma!" Kimishima yelled, "Let's go!"_

_Kazuma came out, grumbling. "Geez, lay off the horn, will ya?! It's still early! I just got up for crying out loud!" He noticed Ayase. "Wait a minute... you're..."_

_"See," Ayase said to Kimishima, "What did I tell you? I knew he wouldn't remember it."_

_Kimishima laughed, "I can't believe you man, you're hopeless."_

_"It's Ayase," she said to him, "Ayase Terada__."_

_"Sure, I knew that!" Kazuma said, jumping off the porch and coming up next to the car. "So, what's the deal? You coming with us today or what?"_

_"Kazu-kun!" Kanami said, coming up next to Kanami and twirling a red umbrella behind her, "You're not going anywhere, are you? You said you'd come to the farm today! You promised!"_

_"Yeah, I know," Kazuma said, "But I gotta take care of one little thing first."_

_"That's what you always say, and then you don't come home. We're almost out of vegetables and the rice is gone. What are we gonna do?" she asked, twirling the umbrella she used as a parasol absentmindedly._

_"Well, you see," Kazuma said, doing his frazzled impressions again, "It's like this! I was just about to dive right into that! I'm hungry too, ya know? Hahaha, so I figured--"_

_"You're hopeless," Kanami said, interrupting his antics._

_Kazuma paused and his frame slumped, "I know, I'm sorry."_

_"There's nothing you can do about it, Kanami," Kimishima said, "He's garbage, and he's gotta accept that."_

_Kazuma turned to him in a fluid movement, "I don't believe this, look who's talkin'!"_

_A laugh was heard and Cougar, walking backwards and looking like a regular Inner when his hair was still brown, enetered the scene, suprising Kazuma. "Hey there Little Missy," he said to Kanami, "How would you like to come with me on the fastest ride in the world? Well, what do you say?"_

_Kazuma looked horrified. "Are you kidding me?" Kanami said, smiling and excited._

_Kazuma whipped around. "You wanna die?! Forget it! No way!"_

_Cougar put him in a chokehold, "What's that supposed to mean, Kazuya?!"_

_"It's Kazu__ma__!"_

_"Come on, would you quit wasting time Kazuma?" Kimishima said, leaning on the steering wheel._

_"Hurry up, will ya?" Ayase quipped._

_"You promised to come to the farm!" Kanami insisted._

_"All right already, I hear ya!" Kazuma said._

_"A promise is a promise, Kazuya," Cougar said._

_"It's Kazuma, and that's not the point!"_

_"We'll be in trouble if you don't hurry, Kazuma," Kimishima said._

_"Kazu-kun!"_

_"Aw, now for the first five times!--" Kazuma said indignantly as everyone started talking and saying his name at once._

"Ok, Ryuhou-san, he's out of the coma," Selina said, touching his arm, "Let's go."

Ryuhou nodded and they both closed their eyes. When they opened them, they were back in the cave. It was chillier, and they saw that the sun had already gone down. Kazuma was still unconscious, but now merely asleep, and his breathing was better. Ryuhou stared momentarily at his long-time rival with an understanding, underlined with confusion on how to deal with this new information.

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	5. Treatment

**Title:** Rival Unraveled

**Author:** Midnight Rose Princess

**Rating:** M (for Kazuma's language, and violence in later chapters)

**Summary:** Ryuhou and (OC)Selina go to find Kazuma for Kanami. They do, and as Kazuma's past is played before Ryuhou's eyes, will his feelings for Kazuma turn into something else?

**Midnight's Note:** Ok.. Here's the long awaited Chapter 5. Sorry it took me, what, over a year to update, but my life isn't just about fanfiction. I have my parents to be there for and of course look out for/help/deal with my friends' issues and shoulder some of their drama at times. I've seriously thought about being a pro therapist when I'm older, but I still want to be a 3-D animator, so I guess I'll just have to leave any of my future would-be patients to find a hobby to distract them (I would have recommended FFNet anyway LOL).

**Disclaimer:** Are you trying to make me cry? I do not own Scryed. If I did, you wouldn't know about it, because I'd keep Kazu-kun all to myself. You can have Mimori, though. Hahaha, don't take it personally! If you're a (female) Kazuma fan like me I'm sure you feel the same way, right?

**Warning: **This is yaoi. There, you've been warned.

**Also, things have now changed a bit:**

_italics are thoughts_

print = regular

**bold = title or author's notes**

* * *

**Chapter Five: Treatment**

Selina shivered. "It's getting cold. I don't want to waist the lamp." She went outside the cave and came back a second later with some wood she'd seen while searching earlier. She took out a match after putting the wood in a circle and made a fire.

The wind outside was howling as it passed through the canyon and the fire inside the cave crackled. Selina turned out the lamp so that the only source of light was the fire.

"So he's out of the coma, right?" Ryuhou asked.

"Yes, but the side-effect of my power when I use it like that is that he'll be asleep normally for about a day and a half. I think that happens because the patients I usually treat need rest and my Alter just adapted to do that."

Ryuhou nodded, but asked, "Selina, your Alter, when you've finished using it on people who are in comas, do you remember everything they do?"

"What do you mean?" Selina asked, tilting her head slightly.

"Well, if you remember everything you see for all the comatose people you've treated, plus your own memories, how do you not go into... I don't know, memory-overload?"

Selina giggled at the term, but smiled, "Simple: I'm an Alter user."

Ryuhou blinked, then nodded, now finding it a stupid question.

"Here," she said, taking the extra cloak out of the backpack and tossing it to Ryuhou, "You're going to keep him warm tonight, so cover him with that."

"Wait, what?" Ryuhou said as he blinked.

"If he stays laying on the ground like that, he'll get even sicker, and that's the last thing we need right now, right?" she replied logically.

She was right, of course. The stone floor was cold. Without some kind of heat source, it would leech away every shred of warmth from Kazuma's body. The last thing he needed was a chill that would give him a fever, but still...

"Don't look at me like that, Ryuhou-san. I'm a girl, I can't keep him warm."

Ryuhou nodded, for that made sense. The only girl who would be willing to keep Kazuma warm and not have it be awkward would be Kanami, and that's only because they were like brother and sister. Selina sat down by the fire and layed down, wrapping her cloak around herself. She was out like a light, no doubt exhausted from using her Alter. Ryuhou sighed and lifted Kazuma up to knee level, wrapping the cloak around him. He sat down Indian-style while leaning against the wall. He let Kazuma lean against him.

Ryuhou sighed, troubled. He had to get all this information straightened out in his head or he'd go mad from over thinking it. Most of the mysteries about Kazuma he'd wanted to ask about, but would never be answered by Kazuma himself (knowingly, anyway), had been answered. But one major question remained: with all this new knowledge, could he act the same towards Kazuma? Ryuhou doubted it would be easy due to the overwhelming sympathy he now felt towards the younger alter user. But if he knew Kazuma half as well as he thought he did, he deeply doubted that Kazuma would be all right with the knowledge of people prying in his mind. Ryuhou found it believable that Kazuma would feel furious, if not a little bit unveiled. Anger like that could only made Kazuma run off again, maybe this time never to come back. With that, the ex-holy member decided that although it would be a challenge, he had to try his best act as if he knew nothing and keep this whole thing a secret.

~Next Day~

3 figures made their way across the desolate landscape in the direction of a village, the monolithic formations of the Lost Ground surrounding them in the noon-time light. Selina led the way, carrying both the backpacks and somehow not falling under the weight. Ryuhou carried the sleeping Kazuma on piggyback, letting Kazuma's head rest on his shoulder so he could keep track of his breathing.

At dawn, Ryuhou had told Selina his thoughts from the night before and she agreed, thinking it probable from the memories Kanami had shown her of Kazuma's personality. They'd mutually decided that they would tell him that Selina's ability was just a physically healing alter power, and tell Kanami and the others to do the same. Selina agreed that keeping a secret this big felt wrong, so she'd promised that the only person she'd ever even tell of the memories to would be Kanami, who had a right to know more than they did.

As they walked, which they'd been doing since a little before daybreak, Ryuhou thought back on Kimishima. _How must it have felt_, he thought, _to have your friend die literally on your back? I felt horrible enough when Scheris died saving me..._ His mind, of its own accord, thought what he would feel like if Kazuma died on his back now in the present. Shuddering inwardly at the horrid thought, Ryuhou pushed it to the back of his mind.

About 10 minutes later, they reached their destination. They'd passed through mid-sized town before as they'd headed towards the mountains. It was peaceful like most of the villages in the Lost Ground now, thanks to Ryuhou and Kazuma's actions against the Mainland. And since the watermelon harvest that dominated the Lost Ground due to Urizane and Elian's efforts was still a few weeks off, the marketplace wasn't very crowded and was populated mostly by locals.

They headed to the town inn and rented two rooms for a week. Selina's room had one bed, and Ryuhou and Kazuma shared a room that had two beds. Each room had bathroom, and room service was available. Ryuhou set Kazuma down on one of the beds, and hung up their cloaks on the bed posts when Selina came in carrying what looked like a more equipped first-aid kit that had a strap over one of her shoulders and a bowl of water with a rag in it.

"Here, Ryuhou-san," she said, giving him some money with her free hand, "I need to treat his wounds properly, and it wouldn't do him any good to put back on those ruined clothes afterwards. Do you think you can go into town and buy him some new clothes so his wounds won't get infected through the old ones?"

"Sure," Ryuhou said, taking the money and nodding at her logic. "I'll be back in about 45 minutes, then," he said, leaving the room. _How am I supposed to know what size he wears? _he ranted to himself in his mind at first, but he did have a good idea of the size Kazuma would wear due to the few months they spent together fighting the first of the Mainland opposition. Sighing, he went to see if any of the stores in town would have the kind of clothes Kazuma would wear.

Meanwhile, Selina started to work on taking off Kazuma's jacket and shirt to see his chest, where she could tell most of the injuries were. This didn't embarrass her in the slightest due to her medical training. She did, of course, work with the doctor in the village she and Kanami lived in, and thus had plenty of experience in dealing with many kinds of patients. To her, Kazuma was just another patient in this scenario. She looked at the Scars covering the right half of Kazuma's chest and side of his waist, knowing they'd must have caused him great deal of discomfort for the past few years. There were cuts here and there on the left side of his chest and his arms, which looked like they came from thorns of some kinds or a shallow cut with a knife. _Probably a street fight_, Selina thought at that, _or maybe an assassin from the Mainland who got lucky._

Opening the new kit she'd gotten from the inn's own store for supplies for the average traveler, she got out some healing salve, antibiotics, and bandages. She smoothed the salve over the scars, which made his restless expression relax slightly. She took the antibiotics and put them on the cuts and grazes before bandaging up his chest, but making sure it was loose enough just enough for his breathing to not be restrained. She put smaller bandages on the cuts deeper than others on his arms, and put the miniature ice packs from the kit on the bruises she'd found, waiting for a few minutes before taking them off. She took the wet rag and tried to wipe as much dirt and grime as she could from Kazuma that she already hadn't in her treatments. His hair would need shampoo to properly get out the dirt, but that would have to wait until he woke up. She continued the rest of her work diligently as time ticked by.

By the time she was finished, he looked much better than before. She closed the kit and put the rag back in what was now the bowl full off dirty water before stepping back to look at her work, checking for anything she might have missed. Just then, there was a knock at the door. Selina went over and cracked it open to see Ryuhou with what she took to be a bag of clothes. "Great Ryuhou-san, thanks!" she said, taking the bag and starting to close the door.

"Wait! Why can't I-?" Ryuhou started, trying to edge closer inside.

Seline smirked. "Believe it or not, I'm not the kind of person to take someone's last shred of pride away. Kazuma-san's gonna keep his dignity, you dig?" she asked rhetorically.

Ryuhou nodded, but pressed in confusion, "But what am i supposed to-"

"Just wait here and twiddle your thumbs like a patient little alter user, all right?" she said, shutting the door and locking it for good measure.

A cloud of doom hung itself over Ryuhou and he leaned against the hallway wall with his arms crossed, muttering things like "it's my room, too," or "he's already prideful enough." There was definitely a muttered "little memory flipping alter user" said as well.

Selina giggled at the tidbits she heard. _I bet he thought that since I was friends like Kanami, I was always soft-spoken like her. Well, sorry to disappoint, but believe it or not, this "little memory flipping alter user" has some spunk in her. Kana-chan _**(A/N: her nickname for Kanami) **_said you'd react like that-I'll have to remember to tell her she was right. _Now back by the bed, she took the clothes out of the bag. Ryuhou hadn't done too bad at all. He'd gotten a dark red tank/muscle shirt, simple black jeans, and a black jacket, even a pair of red underwear. Selina wondered how Ryuhou knew Kazuma preferred "commando" style, but let it slide. She re-clothed her patient in all but the jacket, putting his old clothes in the bag and setting it on the ground.

Putting back on a bright smile, she went back over to the door and unlocked it. "You can come in now," she said to Ryuhou, who came in with annoyance still traceable on his face.

He looked at Kazuma for a moment. "How is he?" he asked.

"Not too bad," Selina said. She came over and lifted Kazuma's upper body up to put the jacket loosely over his shoulders before laying him back down onto the bed. "But still not in the best shape," she said, pulling the blankets from the end of the bed up and covering Kazuma up to his collar bone with them.

Ryuhou nodded. "So what's the plan of action from here on?" he asked, referring on their goal to get him back to Kanami.

"I'm not sure. We shouldn't move him anymore until he's awake. And even when he does wake up, he'll be weak for about 6 or 8 days, give or take a few hours," she said, shrugging at the last bit.

"Then we'll just wait until he's recovered enough to plan how to get him to Kanami," he said.

Selina nodded, "Sounds good to me." She suddenly got a mischievous smile on her face, "I almost forgot... what do we do if he refuses?" She looked to Ryuhou, still brimming with mischief.

"Simple," Ryuhou smirked, "Drag him back anyway."

Selina giggled. "I thought Kazuma-san was the one who liked to use the direct method," she said.

"He's rubbing off on me," Ryuhou said.

Selina's eyes widened in mock fear and she looked down at her patient. "Kami-sama, give me and Kana-chan strength," she said in a faux morbid voice. **(A/N: Kami-sama means "God")**

Ryuhou chuckled at the spunky girl, earning a laugh from her before she bed him farewell and went to her own room for some sleep. He shut the door behind her while she bounded over to hers, which was across the hall, before going over to his own bed. He had a feeling he was going to need strength himself to deal with whatever happened next, be it dealing with an angry Kazuma or a bitter one in the next few days.

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**Midnight: **And there's the end of chapter 5. Things really start moving next chapter, when Kazuma wakes up. This chapter, as you can probably tell by now, was to show more of Selina's personality. I utterly cannot stand Mary Sues and lose patience with any kind of self-inserts, so I make sure to do my best to make my character as humanly believable as I possibly can. Selina's life has made her to where she is naturally spunky and loves life normally, is dead-serious when it comes to anything medical or her alter power, and also got a bit of a mischievous side that likes to humorously mess with people (but not in any kind of harmful way). Again, I'm sorry for taking so long to update. But life is life. This summer though will be an entirely different story for all my fanfics. ^_^


End file.
